Bitter Sweet Tranquility
by Millie Black
Summary: Freedom came to Waffle Island hoping for a new life, and a new chance. She didn't know what she was expecting. Freedom didn't expect to find where she belonged. She defiantly wasn't expecting to fall in love. Although she was hesitant of change, Freedom finally finds her family, her home, and what she was missing in life. Her bitter life finally changed into a sweet one.
1. 1-Life Path

_**Alright! Here it is! The new and improved Bitter Sweet Tranquility! I'm so sorry that I changed everything; the story just didn't go how I wanted to. But just like our main character Freedom got another chance, I decided I get one too! I really hope everyone enjoys the new start.**_

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Freedom let out a huge sigh as the books and binders fell from her hands. She was currently packing, getting ready stay at a new place. Freedom had been living there for two years after graduation, trying to figure out what she was going to do with her life. Her parents had gotten sick of her lazing around the house, so they sent her to take part in an internship. Apparently, Freedom was going to a run down island to help improve tourism. She would be working along with the mayor and his son. It wasn't the best job, but it would be more than Freedom had now. She was currently working at a grocery store, wasting away her day wearing a fake smile.

"Do you need any help?" Freedom looked up to see her baby sister leaning against the door. Angel was a small girl, despite being fifteen. Most people thought that she had Anorexia Nervosa because she was as skinny as a stick. Little did they know that Angel ate all of the food she wanted, she just didn't gain any weight from it. Angel came in, leaning over to pick up the dropped books and binders. She was quiet, but Freedom knew what she was thinking. When her parents had presented the internship Angel had gotten in a fight with them, saying that they were shipping Freedom off to become a gopher. Summing it up, Angel was not happy about it.

"Thank you! I thought that I was going to have to break my old back trying to pick those up." Freedom threw a joke out there, but all she got was a glare. Freedom sighed, taking her sister by the hand. "You know I'm not going away forever right?" Angel nodded, a tear slipping down her cheek. "They'll throw me out of there in ten seconds flat. I'll be back before you know it. Besides, once I get cell service on the island you can call me everyday."

"How do you know they have cell service?" Angel wiped at the tears that were coming faster than she could get rid of them. Freedom squeezed her hand, smiling.

"I know because if they don't I'm chewing out whoever wrote this pamphlet." Freedom handed the island pamphlet to her sister. The place that Freedom was heading to was called Waffle Island. It used to be very popular with tourists, and Freedom's parents had stayed there for three months. Now most people didn't even know it existed. Gwendalyn, Freedoms mother, had insisted that everyone on the island were nice people and would be supportive. Freedom was yet to be convinced, but she didn't really have a choice.

"I'm going to miss you." Angels sobs wracked through her whole body. Freedom felt tears coming to her own eyes. She pulled her sister into hug, kissing her light brown hair.

"I know Angel, I know."

* * *

"Are you sure you have everything?" Radlyn, Freedom's father shoved the last bag into the back of the car, making sure that it was secure. Freedom eyed the overstuffed trunk, wondering why she needed to pack almost everything she had.

"Yeah, except for the furniture in my bedroom. How long is this internship going to last? I feel like you guys are disowning me and selling me to Mayor Hamilton." Freedom laughed at her own joke, but her parents were unamused. Angel snickered, with made Freedom proud. She felt like she had a good sense of humor, but lately her parents had let her down.

"Mayor Hamilton is a good man. I don't appreciate you bad mouthing him. You've gotten lazy, and you need to remember what work is like. If you don't make something of yourself then I may just consider disowning you." Freedom's smile dropped at the harsh words of her mother. They had danced around the subject of Freedom being a neet, but her mother had never outright said it to her face. Plus, her mother was the kindest woman on earth. It wasn't like her to be so bold and rude. Realization opened up in Freedom's mind and she took a step away from the car.

"I'm not going there for just an internship am I? Waffle Island is a farming island, so why would I be going there? You both used the internship as a facade to buy a farm and have me work on it, didn't you." Freedom stared down her parents as Angel came to Freedom's side. Her hand slipped into Freedoms, trying to give her comfort. The looks on her parents faces gave Freedom the answer. Freedom closed her eyes and shook her head in disbelief.

"Your mother and I thought that it would be best if we took matters into our own hands." Radlyn paused, trying to find the right words. "We're worried about you. You graduated highschool with an advanced honors diploma. You were accepted into Harvard, but got cold feet. We've waited two years, and I think you just need a push in the right direction."

His words stung. Freedom had applied to Harvard, but didn't really think she would get accepted. When the acceptance letter came, her parents had been ecstatic. Even more so than the Freedom herself. Freedom had looked into the prices of attending Harvard, but it would be too much strain on her family. So Freedom had backed out. She hadn't told her parents the reason why. They would've told her it would all work out, but Freedom knew that her parents were still paying off their student loans.

"We've talked to Mayor Hamilton, and he was happy to get you started. You've got a nice little farm close to the town and have all the allies around you. We also did manage to score you a job at the Town Hall." Gwendalyn plastered a smile on her face, taking Freedom by the hands. "You could get big business on the island."

"This worlds all about money, isn't it? Who ever has the best grades has the best job, and then they have the best life. I think I understand." Freedom spat the words out. She wasn't happy. Her parents were shipping her off. Gwendalyn dropped Freedoms hand, sighing. Freedom wanted nothing more than to just run down the street and get away from her treacherous parents, but something in the back of her mind was telling her otherwise.

 _What if this could be a great opportunity to show them how they were wrong. After all, they just think you're a neet. If you go and show them how much good you bring to the island, they'll be proud, happy, and finally see your work._ Freedom knew that there was a part of her deep down inside that wanted her parents to accept her. Too see that she was useful, that she could do something. It was that mindset that brought her to her decision.

"Fine. I'll become a stupid farmer."

* * *

 _I wanna go home!_ Freedom leaned on the rail of the ship, bored out of her mind. She had been on the ship for two days, and she had already seen everything. She had seen whales, dolphins, and plenty of fish. In fact, if Freedom had another fish dish she would just throw herself overboard. She hated fish! Not to mention, Pascal talked about sailing and fishing nonstop. Pascal was the captain of the ship, and the only person on board aside from Freedom. She enjoyed his company, but didn't enjoy the topics of discussion.

"Enjoying the nice weather?" Pascal came up behind her, smoking from his pipe. A bit old fashioned, but Freedom thought it fit him. Speaking of nice weather, Freedom didn't see any. The sun was completely blocked by dark, heavy rain clouds and the sea was inky. Pascal must have seen her disclosure because he laughed. "Not particularly I see."

"I apologize for my rudeness." She muttered. "When are we going to arrive at Waffle Island?" Although Freedom had been tricked into accepting to come here, she had a small seed of anticipation growing in her. What would this new path provide for her? Would she made new friends, or maybe actually be successful? Freedom chided herself for being so silly. This wasn't like moving to a new place. Actually, it was, but she had been forced to come here.

"Waffle Island is just right up ahead." Freedom's head snapped to where he was pointing, and she let out a happy sigh to see that the island was indeed right up ahead. Not as close as she would have liked, but close enough. Pascal smiled; this girl was certainly interesting. "Why don't you tell me a little about yourself?"

"I'm not that intriguing, but sure. What would you like to know?" Her brown eyes were fixed on the island, growing bigger the closer they got to it. Thunder boomed in the distance and a shred of worry embedded itself in Freedom's gut, telling her that something terrible was about to occur. Pascal didn't seem worried, so Freedom pushed it aside.

"Just general information. Favorite food or drink. Your birthday would be nice to know too. You see, Gill likes to put together files on each of the residents. I'm sure that he would like to know these little tidbits of information."

"Gill's the mayor's son right?" Pascal nodded and Freedom continued. "My favorite food would have to be orange cake. My favorite drink would be herbal tea, and finally my birthday is winter sixth. Is there anything else you'd like to know?"

"No, not that I'm aware of." Pascal looked worriedly at the sky as lightning hit the water, dangerously close to the ship. Freedom blinked in surprise as rain started to pour down on her head.

"What in the-?" Freedom brought her hands up to attempt to shield her head from the rain drops, but it was no use. She was drenched. Lightning flashed across the sky in brilliant white branches. Thunder shook Freedom to the core. Her dark brown shoulder length hair clung to the sides of her face as she looked up at the sky. "Should I be worried?" Freedom had to yell against the wind for Pascal to hear her.

He didn't answer for a while. When high waves crashed against the boat Pascal finally went into action. "Get down below deck. We've gotten caught in a storm and she ain't too merciful. Hurry Freedom!" Freedom didn't need to be told twice. Trying not to slip on the now soaked deck, Freedom headed for the stairs that led down.

The ship lurched, causing Freedom lose her grip on the floor, slipping on the water. She fell down the rest of the stairs, landing in a puddle of water. Freedom winced in pain, well aware that she would have bruises. She tried to stand, but the ship decided to lurch again. Freedom slid to the wall, knocking her head against the metal interior of the ship. Pain exploded in her head. Freedom felt her consciousness slip away. _Oh please don't let it end like this!_

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 ** _I'm really nervous! I don't know how everyone will react, but I hope that you guys like it. Please let me know if I should just give up now and go back to the original._**


	2. 2-Overwhelmed

_**It has arrived. The second chapter...**_

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Freedom's eyes snapped open and she leapt up. Her vision blurred, but after a few agonizing seconds of dizziness her vision cleared up. She had gotten up too fast. Placing a hand on her throbbing head Freedom let out a hiss of pain. Where was she? Freedom examined her surroundings, a bit confused. She was in a small room that housed a bed, nightstand, and a small dresser. There was a small clock sitting on the nightstand; the time read 6:00 am. Her luggage was set off to the side, taking up most of the space.

In conclusion, Freedom had no clue in the heavens where she was.

With no choice but to explore, Freedom headed for the door. She slowly opened it, peeking outside. It was a normal hallway. Freedom didn't understand why, but she felt like she was in a horror movie, waiting for the killer to jump out and murder her. She slowly let out a puff of air and trekked down the hallway. At the end of the hallway there was a grand staircase leading down. Freedom strained her ears for any sound. There were voices, so Freedom continued her short journey. She was hoping that they weren't discussing the best possible way to kill her.

"-be fine. She was in good shape when Jin took a look at her. It was only a minor concussion and she's young. Just give her mind time to heal." Freedom examined her surroundings from halfway down the stairs. It looked like a diner or inn of some sorts. It was complete with a bar/kitchen, tables and chairs, and the staff. Well, what she guessed was the staff. Three people were sitting around a circular table, chatting away.

"I don't know Colleen. She's already been out for two days. Are you sure we don't need to ask Jin to examine her again?" The man speaking had slicked back grey hair and worried green eyes. He was wearing an ironed dress shirt with slacks and dress shoes. His red tie was hidden behind a button up green vest. There were two women sitting across from him. One had medium blonde boy-cut hair and kind sweet violet eyes. She was wearing a green dress, earrings, and light makeup.

The older woman sitting next to her had whitish-pinkish hair which was separated into two braids with a perfect bun on top. Her eyes were similar to the man's but they had a mischievous sparkle in them. Her top was bright yellow while her blue skirt was covered by an apron. A red handkerchief was tied loosely around her neck.

"Yer worrying too much. When I saw her for the first time I was wishing I had a body like hers." Freedom finally realized who they were talking about. With burning cheeks she descended the rest of the staircase. Thankfully these people weren't murders. Freedom needed to get control of her overreactive imagination.

"Thank you?" The three jumped when they heard her voice. Freedom stopped at the bottom of the stairs, wondering if she had given them heart attacks. The older woman was the first to react.

"Yer welcome. As you might have guessed we were just talking about you. I'm glad yer awake." The woman smiled; it was warm and welcoming. The man also smiled, standing up and offering a hand.

"My name is Jake. I'm the owner of this inn. It's very nice to meet you." She took his hand, and he game her a firm shake before releasing it.

"And my name is Colleen. I'm Jake's wife. How are you feeling?" The kindness never left her eyes. Freedom was instantly filled with warmth. Her mother wasn't lying when she claimed that Freedom would have all the allies she needed. She could instantly tell that these people didn't understand the meaning of strangers. They thought of everyone as friends, if not family.

"I'm feeling fine, just a bit confused."

"No kidding." The older woman snorted. "My name's Yolanda. You're in the Sundae Inn at Waffle Island. After the damage that storm did to you I wouldn't be surprised if you forgot your name." Yolanda paused, looking at Freedom with curiosity. "You do remember your name, right?"

Freedom raised an eyebrow. Of course she knew her name. "It's Free-"

Before she had a chance to relieve their stress the front door burst open and two girls slipped in.

"I've told you before! No, I have not gotten a letter from Chase! He's moved on with his life, I don't think he's coming back." The girl speaking had long cream blonde hair that was pulled up into a ponytail. She was wearing a black crop top a light blue jacket that reached her midsection. The collar of the jacket was pointed up, and the ends of the jacket were tied together in the front, creating a cute looking knot. Her short miniskirt looked like something a cowgirl would wear. It showed off her long slender legs that disappeared into cowgirl boots. Her evergreen eyes were filled with annoyance directed at the girl following her.

"But Kathy!" The girl whined. "He said he would come back. He promised!" Her eyes were a brilliant topaz blue that were starting to grow watery with tears. Her hair was a honey blonde and on the sides of her head there were two small sections of hair that were braided. She was wearing a pink frilly dress that poofed out near the bottom, which just reached her knees. A white apron was over the dress, and the back was tied to look like bunny ears.

"He only promised that so you would stop clinging to him when he tried to get on the boat. Jeez Maya sometimes you can be such a…" The girl, who Freedom now knew was Kathy, had finally torn her gaze away from Maya and made eye contact with her. A stunning grin broke out over her face as she made her way towards the group. "Well I'll be dam-" Kathy stopped herself when she saw Colleen glaring at her. Sighing, she corrected herself. "Darned. You're finally awake."

"I guess so?" Freedom was worried about the other girl, Maya, who was coming over more slowly wiping the tears from her eyes. Kathy didn't pay her any attention, keeping her gaze on Freedom. She stuck out a hand and Freedom couldn't help but notice the perfectly manicured nails.

"I'm Kathy! I work here at the Sundae Inn. I'm also the person you can come to if you need any favors or if you need to know any secrets for blackmail." She said it so sincerely that Freedom almost missed it. She did a double take at the last piece of information that Kathy shared with her. Kathy sighed, rolling her eyes after seeing Freedom's expression. "In other words, I'ma big gossiper."

"Oh." Freedom took her hand. "I'm Freedom." Kathy's eyes sparkled as she examined the girl before her. Freedom shifted nervously under her gaze. People from the city weren't really ones to stare, unless you were drop dead gorgeous, looked weird, or created a scene.

"Your quite pretty, you know that?" A tint of red dusted Freedoms cheeks as she took the compliment. First Yolanda then Kathy. The standards must be different at Waffle Island because back in the city Freedom was average if not below. She had dark brown hair that sometimes looked red in the sun or certain lighting. Her eyes were a warm chocolate brown and she had a heart shaped face. Her hair just barely reached her shoulders and had more than enough split ends.

"Thank you." At that time, Maya sat down next to Jake, still pouting. Kathy noticed her and rolled her eyes. Maya caught it, and her cheeks puffed up in anger. It was adorable to Freedom. It reminded her of her little sister when she got angry. Maya turned to Freedom.

"I'm Maya. I'm the daughter of Jake and Colleen." Her eyes lit up. "You're from the city right?!" Surprised by the sudden change of mood, Freedom nodded quickly. Maya's eyes grew wide and she leaned over the table. "Have you ever met a young man named Chase? He's got peach blonde hair and beautiful amethyst eyes. He's a brilliant cook and is so handsome that you can't miss him. He's charming too. Oh! You have to see his face when a dish turns out well! He smiles just a bit and his eyes light up and-" Maya's excited rant was cut sort by Kathy's hand clamping her mouth shut.

"Darn it Maya, you're overloading the poor girl's systems." It was a bit more information than Freedom could handle, but she still racked her brain, trying to find the person Maya described. When nothing came up, Freedom bit her lip, giving a sympathetic smile.

"I'm sorry. I'm afraid I don't know who your describing. Even so, I'll ask my parents and my sister if they've seen him." Maya's spirits had dampered, but when Kathy's hand released it's hold a smile still graced her features.

"Well, now that everyone is acquainted why don't I fix everyone some breakfast?" Yolanda announced. Freedom's eyes widened, but before she could protest Kathy spoke up.

"Don't try to deny Yolanda's cooking. She'll just make you some anyway." The cream blonde smiled, and Freedom decided to trust the taller girl. Maya brightened and shot out of her seat.

"Can I help?" Colleen, Jake, Yolanda, and Kathy paled at the words. Freedom was confused; most people would enjoy every ounce of help they could get.

"Not this time. Maybe later." Yolanda choked out. She stiffly walked to the kitchen while Maya sat back down in her seat. Pouting once again. Kathy came close and whispered into Freedom's ear.

"Ever since Maya was a little girl, her cooking has been terrible. It's always too sweet. She once made a mud pie and forced Chase to eat it. No one knows how, but he claimed it was sickly sweet." Maya heard Kathy and shot out of her seat again.

"I'm trying to get better!" Kathy laughed and nodded. Freedom took a seat next to Colleen, feeling a bit nauseous. The woman's worried eyes met hers.

"Are you feeling sick? We can call Jin if you need us too. Or maybe your just feeling overwhelmed." She put a hand on Freedoms, trying to offer comfort.

"She won't feel sick after she eats!" Yolanda yelled from the kitchen. Freedom smiled weakly.

"A little bit of all three. I'll be fine after I get accustomed to the changes." Colleen bit her lip, still looking worried.

"If you say so dear. Just tell me if you need anything." Freedom nodded and Colleen took her hand away.

In no time at all Yolanda walked in carrying a serving tray. Everyone sat around the circular table, drinking in the smell and the sight. The dish was omelettes, and boy did they look good. They were perfectly wrapped and puffy; it was a golden brown color, and small wisps of steam wafted over the top. There was one for everyone, and Freedom was glad that Yolanda had offered food. Her stomach growled, and Freedom wrapped an arm around herself trying to quiet the little beast. Embarrassment washed over her as Yolanda let out a loud hearty laugh.

"Sounds like someone's hungry." Kathy smirked as Freedom tried to make herself smaller. Why did this have to happen to her? Yolanda served everyone up and took a seat herself. She turned to Freedom expectantly.

"You have the honor of having the first bite." All eyes on the table were on Freedom and she wanted to shrink away. Usually she was not a shy person. In fact, when meeting new people Freedom was hard headed and opinionated. She was the ice breaker in the group. Then again, that's when she was in her own environment. Somewhere she was used to and comfortable with. She would have to get accustomed to the changes in order to break out of her shell again.

Slowly, Freedom cut a small piece off of the omelette. The fork sank right through and as she tore it away from the larger portion, strings of cheese protested. They stretched until Freedom managed to break them. Blowing on it softly, she brought it to her mouth and quickly ate it. The burst of flavor surprised her. The egg was perfectly cooked and the cheese was, well, cheesy. There were a few spices that added to the effect that was taking place in Freedoms mouth.

"Well?" Kathy prodded. Freedom turned her wide eyes to the girl, then to Yolanda.

"It's wonderful!" She exclaimed. Yolanda let out another hearty laugh and the rest of the table joined her.

"Then I guess we all better dig in." Colleen smiled. Everyone around her agreed. The circular table broke into chatter and Freedom listened to it all.

It was strange. Within the few minutes Freedom had been conscious, she already felt like she had been here a week. The people in the inn were accepting and didn't leave her out. The atmosphere was completely different from what she was used to. She had definitely had similar experiences in her life, but there was something special here that she couldn't place a name to.

Whatever it was, Freedom was glad it was present. A grin was plastered over her face. She wasn't feeling nauseous anymore. The food had definitely helped calm her nerves and her stomach. She looked up when the door to the Sundae Inn opened again. Bright sunlight filtered through and a head poked through the crack. He made eye contact with Freedom and a wide grin broke out across his round and pudgy face.

"You're awake!"

* * *

 ** _It's obvious who it is._**


End file.
